HSE A9 – Drilling Holes in Asbestos Cement and Other Highly Bonded Materials

Before You Drill: Could There Be Asbestos?

HSE Guidance Sheet A9 forms part of the HSE Asbestos Essentials series and provides practical guidance for safely drilling holes in asbestos cement and other highly bonded asbestos-containing materials.

The guidance is primarily intended for non-licensed asbestos work and describes the precautions required when drilling asbestos cement products, bitumen materials, floor tiles and other bonded materials containing asbestos.

Whilst the document focuses on specific work activities, it also reinforces a much broader occupational health message:

Before drilling any wall, partition, ceiling, floor or building component, workers should consider whether asbestos may be present.

Many asbestos exposures occur during routine maintenance activities where workers are unaware that asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) exist within the structure they are disturbing.

The guidance covers:

Asbestos cement products
Highly bonded asbestos-containing materials
Safe drilling techniques
Dust suppression methods
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE)
Waste disposal
Decontamination procedures
Exposure prevention

This resource is relevant to:

Maintenance Engineers
Electricians/Plumbers/Telecommunications Engineers/IT Installers
Building Services Engineers
Facilities Managers
Occupational Hygienists
Health & Safety Professionals
Duty Holders

Source Document

View the HSE guidance here:

View Original HSE Guidance

Source: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
Document Type: Asbestos Essentials Guidance Sheet
Status: Current
Last reviewed by LEVCentral: June 2026

LEVCentral Expert Commentary

Many workplace asbestos exposures occur not during major refurbishment projects but during routine maintenance activities.

A contractor arrives to install a cable.
An electrician drills through a partition wall.
A facilities technician fixes equipment to a ceiling.
A telecoms engineer installs a data point.

The work appears straightforward.

However, if asbestos-containing materials are present, a single drilled hole can release airborne fibres capable of being inhaled.

One of the strengths of HSE A9 is that it recognises this reality and provides practical guidance for situations where drilling into known asbestos-containing materials is unavoidable. The document explains how exposure can be minimised using controlled drilling techniques, dust suppression, suitable RPE and appropriate waste management procedures.

From a LEVCentral perspective, the wider lesson is even more important.

Workers should never assume that walls, partitions, ceilings or floor coverings are asbestos-free simply because the material appears harmless.

Asbestos has historically been used within:

Partition walls
Ceiling tiles
Asbestos insulating board (AIB)
Floor tiles
Textured coatings
Pipework systems
Service risers
Plant rooms
Asbestos cement products

Many buildings constructed or refurbished before asbestos prohibitions were introduced may still contain asbestos-containing materials.

For occupational hygienists and duty holders, this guidance reinforces a simple but critical principle:

Identification should always come before disturbance

Key Learning Points

Never Assume a Building Material Is Asbestos-Free

Many workers encounter asbestos unexpectedly because they assume walls, ceilings or panels are safe to drill without verification.

A Single Hole Can Create Exposure

Even relatively minor maintenance activities can disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres into the workplace.

Asbestos Cement Is Not Risk-Free

Although asbestos cement is generally regarded as a lower-risk material than asbestos insulating board, drilling still requires appropriate controls.

Dust Suppression and Controlled Drilling Are Essential

The HSE guidance recommends techniques such as drilling through paste, foam or proprietary containment devices to reduce fibre release.

Planning Prevents Exposure

The most effective control measure is often avoiding disturbance altogether by identifying asbestos-containing materials before work begins.

Why This Resource Remains Relevant

Although asbestos use has been prohibited for many years, millions of square metres of asbestos-containing materials remain within UK buildings.

As a result, today’s workers may still encounter asbestos during:

Building maintenance
Refurbishment projects
Cable installation
Electrical works
Plumbing works
HVAC modifications
Telecommunications upgrades
Security system installation

Many of these activities involve drilling, cutting or fixing operations that can disturb previously hidden asbestos-containing materials.

Further Resources

Recommended Learning

LEVCentral Observation

HSE A9 is ostensibly a task sheet about drilling holes in asbestos cement. However, its wider significance lies in the reminder that routine work activities often create the greatest exposure risks because workers fail to recognise the hazard before work begins. In many cases, effective asbestos management is less about specialist removal techniques and more about asking the right question before picking up the drill:

“Could this material contain asbestos?”